Why Do You Need a Corroborative Witness to Get a Divorce in Virginia?

The Spring 2017 edition of Family Law Quarterly, a publication of the Virginia State Bar’s Family Law Section, included an article written by MDMB partner Jennifer Bradley on the state’s outdated requirement for divorcing spouses to have corroboration of their grounds for divorce—particularly when the grounds are “no fault” and they were living together under the same roof for part of their separation.

If you have ever been divorced in Virginia, you likely understand the inconvenience and embarrassment often involved with asking a friend, family member, or neighbor to testify or sign an affidavit regarding the details surrounding the dissolution of your marriage. Hopefully, new legislation in 2018 will eliminate this antiquated statutory requirement.